IP-based technologies and services available. As of March 31, 2021, SaskTel’s wireline broadband network reached nearly twice as many communities as its closest competitor, offering internet service in a total of 463 communities, with 345 communities having access to download speeds of up to 50 Mbps or faster. During the pandemic, SaskTel’s networks saw a substantial increase in traffic flow, breaking an all-time data usage record in late December 2020. Thanks to SaskTel’s continual investments and enhancements, its robust networks continued to keep customers connected to what mattered most to them.
reliability issues at the plants and helped stimulate the Saskatchewan economy. The list included advancements of work from spring to fall, covering all plants across the province with the intent to engage local vendors, including Indigenous vendors, to complete the full list of procurements.
The completed initiative resulted in:
• 103 procurements completed for this specific project. • Total value awarded ~$21M (including $5M to Indigenous vendors)
Some of these investments and enhancements included:
SaskTel : For the 2020-21 Fibre to the x (FTTx) program construction season, SaskTel spent $40.6M on construction services. Of that that total, $29.2M (72%) was spent with vendors based or with offices and staff in Saskatchewan. As community commitment was not a requirement at the time of these procurement events, SaskTel did not evaluate on local “content”. However, vendors from out of province sourced Saskatchewan labour to complete the construction. One of the main material inputs for the FTTx program is high-density pipe or conduit. SaskTel’s conduit partner is Iconix Waterworks, based in Saskatoon. SaskTel spent $2.4M on conduit in 2020-21. SaskGaming : Despite Casinos Regina and Moose Jaw being temporarily closed twice in 2020-21, the corporation continued with its renovations in order to support the Saskatchewan construction industry and sub- trades, contributing approximately $5.3M to this sector. Overall, SaskGaming contributed more than $18M to Saskatchewan vendors, representing 86% of all purchasing commitments Keeping Customers Connected How we connect with one another has drastically changed in a very short time frame. The COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the critical importance of our network and communications technologies. Throughout 2020-21, SaskTel invested $308.2M in capital expenditures to ensure customers enjoyed some of the most advanced wireless, internet, television, data, and
• As part of the Wireless Saskatchewan initiative, SaskTel announced an additional 74 new macro towers at an estimated investment of $72.2M. As of March 31, 2021, 55 of these towers were put into service, 85 cellular sites were completed, and 221 carrier additions were made to increase capacity of cell sites. • A continued expansion of maxTV Stream, along with interNET Extended 25 and 50. Dozens of rural communities saw their internet speeds increase and maxTV Stream is now available in 388 communities throughout Saskatchewan. • Across the province, Wireline High Speed Internet is available in 463 communities and SaskTel fusion Internet service is available from 105 wireless towers serving more than 700 communities. • In December 2020, SaskTel announced the launch of its Rural Fibre Initiative, a multiphase project that will see SaskTel bring infiNET service to approximately 30,000 households and businesses across more than 20 rural communities by the end of 2024. During the first phase of the initiative, SaskTel plans to bring infiNET service to Balgonie, Biggar, Langham, and Pilot Butte. To deploy fibre sooner than currently planned, SaskTel will spend $50M to further expand fibre to an additional 24 communities beyond those in the current 5-year plan. SaskTel will develop a plan to complete construction in these communities within two years (FY2022-23 and FY2023-24). This will require SaskTel to expedite its current fibre deployment plans to complete construction by Fall 2023.
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